ers of the same calibre. However, there was no revolver; nor did
my entire examination of the apartment avail to bring one to light.

At last,--just as I was turning to leave the room,--I received a shock
which, for the time being, fairly paralyzed me.

As I have already recorded, the room in which I now was occupied that
portion of the ground floor immediately behind the conservatory, and in
the wing containing the library--that is, the eastern wing, as the
house fronted south. Two large windows, small-paned and opening on
hinges, afforded light and ventilation. It was through one of these
that my surprise came.

On entering the room I had drawn aside one of the blinds, and had done
so without more than the most casual glance outward, because I had
already thoroughly inspected the premises contiguous to the house.

But now, as I lifted my hand to draw the blind over the window again, I
happened to look at the snow beneath the window. In a flash I froze,
my outstretched hand remaining suspended in mid-air.

When Burke, Maillot, and I had been in this room an hour or so earlier,
the snow was then like an unsullied tablet upon which no character had
been written; but since that time--during the very minutes I had been
busy in this room, perhaps--it had received a record. Somebody with
unusually small feet--small enough to be a woman's--had walked around
from the front of the house to the window. After looking in--possibly
at me intent upon my investigation--the mysterious prowler had departed
again, but not as he had come. The retreating footsteps extended away
at a right angle from the house, and at a short distance disappeared
among some shrubbery.

A moment's reflection made me feel sure that only my presence in the
room had forestalled a rather perilous undertaking. Why should anybody
want to look in, simply, and why adopt such a compromising means of
entering, if the temptation had not been extraordinarily powerful?

My hesitation was but momentary. I flung open the window, leaped out
and commenced running along the trail of the daring, unknown visitor.
The visit had been so recent that I was spurred by a faint hope of
overtaking the fellow.

I had not proceeded far before I heard a shout from the house. I
glanced back without slacking, and saw Stodger staring at me in
amazement from an up-stairs window. Motioning to him to remain where
he was, I continued to follow the footprints.

As soon as th